Unaware
by Angie Child
Summary: Kaito has met an accident and is in a coma. Aoko slowly finds out that he's Kaitou Kid. In order to find out why Kaito chose this path, there's only one thing to do. (PART 5 UP)
1. Part 1

**Author's Note:** Yes, another fic...I had it in my head for a long time, and I just GOTTA write it! I'll be very slow on this fic, since I don't have much ideas yet, but I have plans already. Please review, thank you!

**PART 1**

_What's going on?_

_Can't feel my leg..._

_I feel dizzy..._

_No, not just that..._

_Pain all over my body too..._

_Voices...are they from my head?_

_No, they sound familiar..._

_Something happened..._

_I can't think..._

_Wait---I remember now..._

---

"Whoa, security is tight in here," Kaitou Kid murmured with a gleeful grin.

He was spread out on the ceiling, hands and feet against beams for support. Directly below him was a golden ring in a case, gleaming under the lights. Around it was officers, and Inspector Nakamori Ginzou was at one end of the room, talking to the museum director.

"Unfortunately, not tight enough," Kid droned as he pulled out a piece of cloth from his sleeve and tossed it down. The cloth fell onto the case, and continued to slip towards the floor. The ring had disappeared in the process.

"The ring is gone, Nakamori-keibu!" a police officer cried, noticing it.

"NANI?!" Nakamori pushed past the officers wildly to the empty spot. He took one look at the cloth, and then up at the ceiling. Kid was grinning down at him with the ring in his hand. "KIDDO! Get down here now!" he roared.

"Sure." Kid let go, but as he landed in the middle of them, his cloak fell over Inspector Nakamori and a few other officers. He laughed as Nakamori screamed bad words, trying to untangle himself. "Watch your language, Nakamori-keibu. Ja ne!" With a wave of his cloak, he disappeared.

"He couldn't have gone far, find him!" Nakamori ordered furiously.

His men started to spread out. None of them noticed one of the officers had sneaked away and disappeared through the front door.

Kid pulled away his disguise with a grin, already dressed in casual clothes. Kuroba Kaito hopped onto a motorcycle that was waiting readily at the pavement. "Idiots, as usual," he snickered, gazing at the ring. "This is really getting too easy."

He revved the engine for a moment before taking off down the street. He glanced at his watch. _Whew, it's getting late. I better get home quickly and get some rest before school tomorrow._

He stopped when he reached the traffic lights, and took this moment to stretch his stiff muscles. It had been a tiring day. He couldn't wait to get home. He noticed the cars were starting to lessen on the other side. He prepared himself to start up again.

Just then, he heard children's screams not far from him. "NO, AYUMI!"

Kaito's eyes widened when he saw a little girl standing in the middle of the road, frozen in shock. A truck was heading for her.

"_Uso!_"

He treaded the accelerator without thinking. He and his motorcycle sped forward and right into the truck's path in front of the girl. He heard a deafening beep of the truck's horn before the impact.

---

"Darn it!" Inspector Nakamori cursed, punching the dashboard. He was riding in the front passenger seat of the cop car. "I had him in front of me! I almost had him!"

"Looks like you just have to try again, keibu," the officer behind the wheel suggested with a sweat drop.

"Bah, try again! I've been trying all my life! We need a perfect plan---AIK!" He was almost thrown off his seat when the car came to a very sudden halt. "What's the matter?!" he snapped angrily as he set himself right again.

"Gomen nasai, keibu, but there's a traffic jam here," the officer said in confusion.

"Traffic jam at this time?! You've got to be kidding me! Turn on the siren!"

"Hai!" The officer obeyed, turning on the siren. Soon, they were easily getting through the traffics.

---

It had all happened in one second, but it seemed like an hour to him.

The truck slammed against Kaito. He could feel its bumper crashing his leg bit by bit. He let go of the bike and went flying off onto the road. His helmet knocked against the ground, but he could still feel the pain exploding in his head. His body scraped the rough road until he came to a halt, pain showering him. He cringed, recoiling in the middle of the road. Horns deafened him from all directions.

"Niichan!" the girl shrieked, rushing to him. "Niichan, daijoubu ka?!"

Kaito was definitely not doing well. He couldn't feel his right leg. He was mostly covered in blood. He could even feel some trickling down from under his helmet. His vision slipped in and out of focus, and he thought he was hearing voices in his head. But he managed a weak smile as he looked up at the girl.

"I-I'm fine...w-what about you...? Are you---are you okay...?"

The girl nodded, already in tears. "The truck stopped when it hit niichan...arigatou gozaimasu..."

"N-no problem...glad you're...okay..." Kaito flinched. He let go of the jewel in his hand. Blinking, the girl picked it up and gazed at it. Kaito smiled weakly at her. "T-take it...I have no use with it...just---don't tell anyone---"

"AYUMI-CHAN, DAIJOUBU?!" a familiar voice suddenly cried, footsteps running up to them.

Kaito lifted his head a little. Even though his vision was still blurry, he could make out the familiar face of his nemesis. _It's him...that scary little detective boy...what's his name? Oh, right...Edogawa..._

Ayumi wiped her tears and pocketed the ring. She turned. "Conan-kun! I'm fine, but niichan---"

"Mitsushiko, call the ambulance!" the bespectacled boy ordered before bending down in front of the injured teenager. "Hang in there, the ambulance is on its way!"

Just then, Kaito heard a police siren. His eyes shifted up as Nakamori-keibu ran towards him. "Hang on there!" he said as he undid Kaito's helmet. He took it off slowly---and his jaws fell open. "K-Kaito-kun! Is that you?" he exclaimed.

"N-Nakamori-keibu..." Kaito whispered with a small laugh. "W-what do---you know..."

"Keibu, get your men to clear the roads now!" the boy shouted, startling the inspector. "We need the roads cleared for the ambulance! Hurry!"

Nakamori blinked, and then he nodded nervously in reply. He never thought he would take orders from a little boy---but there was no time to think now. He turned to his officer behind him. "You heard him, contact the unit!"

Kaito's breath was getting raspy, and he was starting to feel somewhat dizzy. The girl burst into tears. "It's my fault!"

"I-Iie..." Kaito gasped, reaching out forcefully to touch her. "It's---not your fault...d-don't cry...I'm---I'm fine..." He smiled, and flinched again. His vision had gotten so blurry that he could not even recognize the two faces anymore. "I---can't---see..."

"Don't talk anymore, you're injured really badly!" the boy told him firmly. "Keep awake!"

Kaito smiled again. "Y-you're---very in---insistent, boy...very...b-but I'm afraid---I can't---"

_Yes, I remember..._

_This was what happened..._

_But I can't think anymore..._

_Getting tired..._

_Must---stay awake..._

_I---I can't..._

The last thing Kaito heard was the boy bellowing at him before he lost consciousness.


	2. Part 2

**Author's Note:** wipes forehead Done! Some of you sounded as if you're gonna kill me, hehe Oo;;

**PART 2**

Nakamori Aoko let out an audible sigh as she plopped her things down on her desk in class. She was feeling rather moody. Her father had not returned the night before, and she had felt rather lonely staying home alone.

_Otou-san is always at work…why can't he just take a day off and spend time with me?_ she thought in disappointment, and sighed again. She turned to speak to Kaito, who sat next to her---but he was not there.

_Strange…it isn't like him not to be here early. Is he sick?_

Aoko thought for a moment, and then shook her head. _Nah. Idiots don't get sick!_

_But they can get into serious trouble._ Aoko jerked up. She looked around, wondering who had said that. It seemed that a little voice in her head had spoken to her. She bit her lip, calming down. _Baka, you're thinking too much. Kaito has always been fine, he won't get into serious trouble. Besides, I would have known that long ago…_

"AOKO-CHAN!"

Aoko looked up to see her friend Momoi Keiko bursting into the classroom, out of breath. She stumbled up and leaned against Aoko's desk, catching her breath. "Dou shita no, Keiko-chan?"

"K-K-Ku-Kuroba…" Keiko took a deep breath. "I heard that Kuroba-kun had an accident last night. He's in the hospital now."

Aoko stood up very fast, knocking down her chair. "NAN---NANI?!"

---

"So…it was the truck driver's fault," Nakamori-keibu murmured, his arms folded as he paced the corridor. Five children were seated by one wall, all only around seven, watching him. "He charged even though the traffic light had turned red during the next second…happens all the time…"

"B-but I shouldn't have r-run over," Yoshida Ayumi stammered, sobbing. She looked up at Nakamori with teary eyes. "I'm bad, aren't I?"

"No, you're not," Nakamori said kindly, patting her on the shoulder. "You didn't know what to expect. Don't cry."

Ayumi sniffled, nodding shyly.

"Ne, Nakamori-keibu," Edogawa Conan spoke up. "Is Niichan going to be okay?"

"I'm not sure," Nakamori replied, rubbing his temple in frustration. "I do hope so. The doctor is still checking on him. The operation had taken a really long time. You children must be tired. Why don't I take you home first?"

"We're not going home until we find out whether Niichan is okay, right?" Kojima Genta said determinedly, looking at his friends.

"Right!" Tsuburaya Mitsushiko agreed.

Haibara Ai leaned over to Conan. "You still baffle me, Kudo-kun," she said softly. "Why are you wasting your time here when you were fuming over missing Kiddo's heist?"

"I can't help feeling partially responsible," Conan muttered, tightening his fists. "After all, I was the one who simply told Ayumi to go on…"

"Like keibu said, you didn't know what to expect. Get a grip," Ai told him.

Conan nodded. But he frowned. "Not just that. That guy reminds me of someone…I just can't quite place him. Where in the world have I seen him before…?"

He was interrupted by the door leading into Kaito's ward, which had suddenly opened. The doctor and nurse stepped out. The children quickly jumped off their chairs and rushed up to them with Nakamori. "Sensei! How's the boy?" he demanded.

"Is Niichan going to die?" Genta demanded. Mitsushiko jabbed him hard in the side.

"No, the victim isn't going to die," the doctor told him, "at least not yet. He has one broken bone in his right leg, hairline fractures in his right arm, scratches over his body, and quite a bump on his head, but no brain damage. He went into quite a shock though. He's in a coma now. I cannot predict when he will wake up though."

"What is a coma?" Ayumi asked.

"It means that Niichan will be sleeping for very, very long," Mitsushiko explained. "Sometimes people never woke up from a coma, or die in it…"

Ayumi's eyes widened in fear. "B-but…" She tugged the doctor's sleeve frantically. "I don't want Niichan to die in a coma! Don't let him die! Do something, please!"

"We're doing all we can to help, but the rest is all up to the patient himself," the doctor said gently, patting Ayumi's head. "Don't worry, he looks like a pretty strong fellow. He'll live. I'll let you know when he wakes up, okay?" Ayumi nodded, sniffling.

"Then we better go, there isn't much we can do," Conan said, turning around. "Come on."

"Wait, I'll take you kids home," Nakamori-keibu said quickly. But before he went, he glanced at the window into the ward. He shook his head, biting his lip. "Okay, let's go…"

They were heading towards the elevator when its doors flew open. Aoko ran out of it, followed closely by Keiko. She came to a fast halt when she saw her father. "Otou-san!" she panted. "W-where's Kaito?!"

Nakamori raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why aren't you in school, Aoko?"

"Why didn't YOU tell me that Kaito is in trouble?!" Aoko snapped.

He blinked. "I---I just don't want to worry you…"

"Oh, congratulations, now I'm more worried than ever! Come on, where is he?!"

Nakamori just pointed. Without hesitation, Aoko ran towards the direction her father had pointed. She came to a sharp halt and peered through the window.

It was dark in the ward, but there was just enough light to see who was in the bed. It was Kaito, clad in bandages and his eyes closed. His face was rather pale, and the heart monitor displayed a weak pulse. Aoko's heart shattered to see Kaito in that state. Her fingernails dug into the glass so hard that it hurt, but she did not mind. Tears started to fill her eyes. "Ka-Kaito…what---what happened to him?" she choked.

"He was knocked down by a truck last night," Inspector Nakamori said, walking up from behind. "He was saving a little girl. He's in a coma now."

"W-why…why did he go and do such dangerous thing…ahou…" Aoko bit her lip. "YOU'RE AN IDIOT, KAITO!" she screamed, slamming her fists on the glass.

"Aoko-chan…" Keiko said softly, putting a hand on her best friend's shoulder.

Nakamori-keibu sighed, and turned to the children. "Come on, kids…"

Ayumi glanced over her shoulder as she walked after her friends and Nakamori-keibu towards the elevator, her eyes filled with sadness. Keiko was desperately trying to comfort Aoko.

---

When Ayumi got home, her mother, looking relieved, rushed up and hugged her. "Ayumi-chan! I was so worried…are you okay?"

"Un! I'm fine, Okaa-san," Ayumi said, hugging back. She let go and looked up at Nakamori, who was standing behind her. "Keibu-san took me home."

"Ah, arigatou gozaimasu, keibu," Mrs. Yoshida said, bowing. "I hope my daughter had not caused any trouble."

"No, not at all. It's my pleasure, Yoshida-san. I'll be on my way now," Nakamori said, bowing as well.

After Inspector Nakamori left, Mrs. Yoshida brought Ayumi into the house. "Are you hungry? I'll get something for you. You must be tired. You don't have to go to school today. Rest first, and then go to change into something more comfortable."

"Hai," Ayumi answered, watching her mother leave. The television was on in the living room. She hopped onto the couch and was about to reach for the remote when something on the screen attracted her attention.

"_Kaitou Kid has once again succeeded in the Kid heist last night_," the newscaster on the screen declared."_He had stolen the Ruby Ring around eleven thirty, although it had been guarded heavily. Two minutes later, he made a break for it. It has been another failure for the police unit, but they will not give up._"

Ayumi's eyes widened. _M-Matsu!_ She shoved her hand into her pocket and fished out the ring she had picked up. She held it up in front of the screen, which was now showing a snapshot of the ring. They matched.

_Ni---niichan is…_


	3. Part 3

**Author's Note:** Well, I got this done long ago, but still writing on Part 4. Thanks for the reviews! To PRIVATE: _Matsu_ means Wait, according to the dictionary ;) All other questions concerning Ayumi will be answered in Part 4, unfortunately, so stay tuned!

**PART 3**

"Ka-Kaito?" Aoko stammered.

She was staring at Kaito, who was lying on the bed, still pale from his misfortune. But his eyes were opened, and he was smiling weakly at her. "Aoko…"

"Kaito!" Aoko bit her lip. "You had me worried! But…I'm glad you're fine…"

"I-I'm sorry, Aoko…" Kaito croaked. "I'm afraid…I won't live long…"

Aoko blinked. "W-what do you mean?"

Kaito continued to smile tiredly. His breath was getting raspier by the second. "I'm dying, Aoko…my heart will stop beating in a short moment…"

"D-don't joke with me, Kaito!" Aoko exclaimed frantically, grasping his hand. "You can't die, you can't! Tell me you're joking!"

"I'm not joking…I'm sorry, Aoko…I really am…"

"But---but---don't leave me, Kaito! Kaito!"

His eyes closed, and he lost strength in Aoko's grip. Tears ran down Aoko's face.

"KAITOOOOO!"

"Aoko-chan! Aoko-chan!"

Aoko's eyes flew open. She got up very fast, gasping. She blinked as she stared up at the kind face of Mrs. Kuroba. She was on a chair in the hospital corridor, facing Kaito's ward.

"Daijoubu ka, Aoko-chan?" Mrs. Kuroba asked kindly. "You were struggling in your sleep, so I had to wake you up. Seems like you had a nightmare"

"Oh." Aoko rubbed her eyes as she stood up. She glanced through the window into the ward. Kaito was still on the bed, the heart monitor still working.

_It was a dream…_

"What's the time now?" Aoko asked, running her fingers through her hair to untangle the knots.

"One in the afternoon. You must have been here all morning. How about going home? We can have lunch at my place first?"

Aoko nodded. "Okay. When did you come?" she asked as she followed Mrs. Kuroba to the elevator.

"An hour ago. I decided not to wake you up. Are you here alone?"

"Keiko-chan left before me."

"I see."

Aoko looked at Mrs. Kuroba after they had stepped off the elevator. "Um, I'm sorry about Kaito, Kuroba-san. I-I didn't imagine this would happen."

Mrs. Kuroba sighed. "It's okay, I had expected it. Nobody is forever lucky, you know." She smiled sadly. "You must be heartbroken, Aoko-chan. I know it's difficult to take this. Kaito has always been a good boy…"

"He's an idiot," Aoko said, biting her lip.

"I know how you feel, Aoko-chan. That's the way things go with life." Mrs. Kuroba patted Aoko's shoulder. "He'll be all right. I know it. Don't worry."

Aoko just nodded.

When they got to Kaito's home, Mrs. Kuroba immediately headed for the kitchen. "I'll prepared lunch. You don't have to help, don't worry. Just make yourself at home."

Aoko nodded as she watched Mrs. Kuroba disappearing. She walked up the stairs to the first floor landing, looking around. He found the large man-size portrait of Kuroba Toichi, Kaito's father. Aoko stood in front of it, staring at the glamorous picture. She remembered…

---

_"That's Otou-san!" Kaito said gleefully, pointing up at the stage._

_"I know, you told me millions of times already," Aoko told him, rolling her eyes._

_"Isn't he cool? He's the best magician in the world! He's my idol! When I grow up, I want to be a famous magician just like him!"_

---

_"Kaito!" Aoko panted as she caught up with Kaito, who had finally stopped. "What's wrong with you today? Kaito?"_

_Aoko's eyes widened to see tears in Kaito's eyes. "Otou-san died," he choked. "Okaa-san told me yesterday. He died during a magic show."_

_"I-I'm sorry, Kaito…" Aoko whispered. "I know how you feel…"_

_"No, you don't know how I feel! It's hard to lose someone whom you admired all your life! You'll never understand!"_

_"B-but, Kaito---"_

_"Leave me alone!" Kaito ran off, leaving Aoko helpless on the pavement._

---

…"Poor Kaito," Aoko whispered, putting her hand on the portrait.

Suddenly the portrait sank into the wall under her hand. "Ehhh?!" Before she knew it, she fell through.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Kuroba, who was in the kitchen, looked up when she heard some noises above her. Her eyes narrowed.

_She found it…_

---

"Ouch…" Aoko picked herself up from the floor, rubbing her shoulder. _Where am I?_

She heard a slam. She looked behind her, and gasped.

_That---that's Kaito's Otou-san?!_

She gazed at the portrait of Kaitou Kid the 1st in disbelief. She did not know whether to scream or cry. She just stared at Kuroba Toichi as if it were a ghost. Her mouth opened slightly, but no word came out.

After recovering from her shock, she shook her head. _Okay, calm down, Nakamori---be positive. Kaito likes Kiddo, doesn't he? He's a fan of that thief. These might just be where he kept the fan stuffs…_

She wandered around the small dark room, only a single light bulb lit above her. It was very dusty, but it looked as if someone had been there many times. The first thing Aoko did was open the cupboard. Her eyes widened.

There was a set of Kaitou Kid's clean suit hung neatly in the cupboard.

Aoko fingered it gingerly. It felt real. She chuckled though not convincing enough. _He even got himself an identical suit like Kiddo's. How childish._

She closed the cupboard doors and turned her attention away from it. She spotted a small case on the table. She took it and examined it. Nothing special on the outside. She opened it.

Kid's monocle was lying on a cushion inside it.

Aoko chuckled again, this time less convincing than before. _It's not like there's only one monocle in the world, right?_

She put it down and noticed a box. Curious, she opened it. She gasped.

Jewels were piled in the box. Authentic jewels. Most were not gleaming (probably because they were ancient), but others practically shone at her face. Aoko took some in her hands and gazed at them. _Are---are the Kurobas rich? No, wait---these look like the jewels that Kiddo stole either recently or more than eight years ago._

Aoko bit her lip. _But---but---that doesn't mean anything…right?_

She dropped the jewels and pushed the box away. She noticed a smaller box next to it, and peered into it. Jewels again. But they looked different from the authentic ones. Aoko took some and studied them.

All of them had Kid's signature on them. They were fake jewels---made by Kid. Aoko quickly looked through the rest. They all had the signature.

Aoko pushed the box away as well, unable to take it. _It can't be…it's impossible…calm down, Aoko! There MUST be an explanation…_

Then she saw a wastepaper basket. There were crumpled papers in it. She bent down and picked them up. She opened them one by one, reading speechlessly.

There were Kid's messages. Half-finished messages. There were crosses and more, as if he had been trying to think up a riddle or something.

…_I'm dreaming._

_He can't be Kiddo…HE CAN'T BE._

_But the truth is staring at you…_

_Kaito…_

_How COULD you…?_

Aoko's hands tightened on the papers as teardrops fell.

Then she heard a creak. Without wiping her tears, she turned.

Mrs. Kuroba stood at the secret entrance, where light shone in from behind her. She had a pitied smile on her kind face.


	4. Part 4

**Author's Note**: Hey, y'all! Sorry for the wait. Here's Part 4, but before that, I'm gonna have to answer a few questions first.

_To: Random Kaito Fan on the 'net_ (By the way, I have no problem about answering questions! ;)

**Conan and his friends were out late on a school night, so how were they able to do it without getting in trouble?**

Don't they always do it? XD Especially when Conan was going to try and catch Kid, you just know they couldn't resist it.

**When Kaito went to the hospital, Conan and his friends followed, so did they get ANY sleep that night or what?**

That depends. They most probably did---though probably not for Conan (too concerned), Ai (no reason) and Ayumi (crying).

**Did Ayumi's (or any of the kids) parents get contacted or anything?**

Yup, they were.

**Does Ch2 begin the next morning (after 6am, before 12pm)?**

Yes, it does. Obviously some time before school starts in Aoko's school.

**How did Keiko know about Kaito when Aoko (his best friend) didn't? (Rumors, the news?)**

It always seems so, doesn't it? Keiko said, "I heard that…" which is most likely from rumors. Maybe some gakusei's relative works on the police force with Nakamori-keibu and told him/her, or they happened to witness it as well. Aoko doesn't know because Nakamori-keibu didn't tell her, and he is usually the source of news (other than the newspapers or anything else).

**What time was it when Aoko got to the hospital and Ayumi went home?**

Around seven to eight in the morning.

**Did Conan, Ai, etc. go home too?**

Yup.

_To: Firestorm2004_

**Kiddo Kid-do?**

I know this fact from the beginning…but I'm too lazy to even bother putting a dash there Oo;; I guess I should try doing it again.

**PART 4**

"Ayumi-chan? Ayumi-chan?"

"Eh?"

Ayumi looked up, blinking. Mitsuhiko and Genta were looking at her in confusion. Genta had two cans of drinks, one extended out to her. "Dou shita, Ayumi-chan? Daijoubu ka?" Mitsuhiko asked.

Ayumi just nodded. "Daijoubu. Arigatou." She took the drink, but did not open it. She just sat there on the bench, swinging her legs, staring at it. Conan was standing not far from her in the park, watching.

"Something's troubling her."

Conan turned to see Ai standing next to him, sipping on a can of soda as well. She handed one to him, and he took it. "I know," he said under his breath. "The accident is troubling everyone so far."

"Including you?"

Conan glanced at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" Ai just shrugged and smiled at him. "Don't bother me," he muttered. "You talk to Ayumi-chan, make sure she doesn't overreact."

"Kids, overreacting?" Ai asked.

Conan frowned. "Just…talk to her, okay?"

"Why don't you do it?"

"Because you're a girl and I'm a guy!"

"What differences does it make?"

"Haibara…"

Ai rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'll talk to her if you want. But don't tell me you like her."

"I do NOT!"

---

"Is something bothering you, Ayumi?" Ai asked as she walked side-by-side with Ayumi on the way back. They had just left the boys around a corner (Ai having purposely volunteered to walk with Ayumi after receiving 'the look' from Conan).

Ayumi shook her head slowly. "You can't lie, you know," Ai told her. "Doesn't everybody say that?"

"Yes," Ayumi said quickly. "But---" She looked reluctant.

"If there's anything, you can tell me," Ai said with a smile. "Don't worry."

Ayumi looked at her for a moment. "Ai," she finally began, "if you know something which you can't tell anybody, not even your friends or the police, what will you do?"

Ai blinked. It was a surprise to her that Ayumi would ask this question. She relaxed. "Well, do you think you can take the burden?" she countered. Ayumi shook her head shyly. "Then, you should tell someone whom you can trust. Someone like---" She smiled. "---Edogawa."

To her surprise, Ayumi shook her head. "I can't tell him," she whispered. "B-but, can I tell you? You're my friend, and I know I can trust you."

There was no need for description to show that Ai was indeed astonished. But she put on a serious look on her face. "What is it?"

Ayumi put her hand into her pocket and took out the ring, showing it to Ai. Ai leaned over to examine, and immediately recognized it. "Ayumi, that's the ring Kaitou Kid-do stole last night!" she exclaimed. "Where did you get it?!"

"Please don't tell anyone," Ayumi pleaded, grasping the ring in her hand. "I promised Niichan not to tell anyone, but I have to tell somebody!"

"Niichan? You mean---"

Ayumi nodded forcefully. "Niichan was knocked down by the truck last night. He dropped the ring and I picked it up. He told me to keep it and not tell anybody."

Ai put her chin in her hand. "If so, that would mean---that boy is Kaitou Kid-do," she said, looking at Ayumi. She chuckled. "That was unexpected."

"Please don't tell Conan-kun!" Ayumi pleaded again. "I know he's against Kid-do! But I don't want Niichan to go to jail! He saved my life!"

Ai sighed. _This child really has lots of problems. But…_ She smiled. "I won't tell anyone, don't worry. But keep that ring until Niichan wakes up from his coma, and then we can go and see him to find out whether he really is Kid-do."

Ayumi lit up. "Really? Arigatou, Ai-chan!" she squealed, hugging her suddenly. Ai blinked, and relaxed with a smile.

---

"I'm back," Ai called as she walked into Dr. Agasa's house.

Dr. Agasa looked up from the phone. "Welcome back, Ai-kun. Shinichi is on the phone and wants to talk to you."

Looking bored, Ai took the phone from him. "Moshi moshi."

"Well? What did she say?" Conan asked quickly on the other line. "Haibara?"

Ai had hesitated, thinking about Ayumi's worried look when she pleaded her not to tell Conan. "Nothing much, she's just still worried about the boy from the accident," she finally replied. "It's okay. I've already talked to her."

"Is that all?" Ai could picture Conan frowning at the other end. "Okay then. I'll see you in school on Monday."

As Ai hung up, she looked towards the television that was still on. Nothing interesting was showing that afternoon. But it did not matter to her. She had something else on her mind, namely the boy whom she supposedly thought was _the_ Kaitou Kid. But she was still unsure.

_Could it be…?_

---

Aoko sat on the couch, staring at her cup of tea which she had not touched for the last hour. She had just heard something which she wished was a dream. As she said that speechlessly, she ran everything through her head, letting them sink in against her will.

Mrs. Kuroba sat across from her, looking pitiful. She knew how Aoko was feeling. After all, she had just heard the whole story of her own childhood friend's secret identity. Mrs. Kuroba was willing to bet that Aoko was wishing that she had never discovered the secret room behind the portrait.

"Is---is it really true?" Aoko finally whispered hoarsely.

"I'm afraid so," Mrs. Kuroba said with a little nod. "But don't get him wrong, Aoko-chan. He did it for a reason."

Aoko sprang up. "What reason then? Tell me!" But Mrs. Kuroba shook her head reluctantly. "Why?!" Aoko demanded.

"It's better for you not to know," was her reply. "I'm sorry, Aoko, but some things but better off not knowing."

However Aoko tried to persuade her, Mrs. Kuroba would not tell. Finally, she left, still blurred by the recent incidents. As she walked down the sidewalk in town, many things ran through her head.

_Kaito was Kid…he was the one teasing Otou-san during heists and embarrassing him…how could him…he knows I hate Kid…but he did not stop…baka…_

_Baka, Aoko! Why did you ever like someone like HIM?!_

When she got home, Nakamori-keibu sprang up and rushed to her quickly. "Aoko! Thank goodness you're home…I was getting worried."

"Why? It's not like I'll do anything stupid," Aoko said.

Nakamori blushed. "G-gomen. How's Kaito-kun?"

"Still the same." Aoko plopped down onto the chair in the living room, deep in thought. She watched as her father stumbled to the kitchen. Should she tell her father about Kaito's secret? She bit her lip. She couldn't---not yet, anyway. She did not want to see Kaito getting arrested before he even knew it. It would be unfair.

But she was still extremely curious to know why Kaito became Kid. There had to be a reason. Kaito was her best friend.

She must find out no matter what.

---

"Kiddo won't give up, will he?" Nakamori-keibu muttered, smoking a cigarette as he examined the large diamond rock that was sitting in the case. It was the same night, and he and his men had gathered in a building to guard another jewel.

He looked at the crumpled paper that had Kid's note in it. "Only received an hour ago…sounds like he's in a rush. What the heck? I'm going to get you, Kiddo!" he growled, crushing the paper under his hand.

"Keibu, it's three minutes to nine!" an officer declared.

Nakamori nodded solemnly. He tossed the note into a rubbish bin. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Meanwhile, a white figure was standing outside the door, wearing a mask. But there was amusement in the eyes. He pushed a button.

Smoke began to fill the room. "KID-DO! Where are you?!" Nakamori roared, groping around blindly.

When the smoke parted, they found Kaitou Kid at the doorway with the rock in his hands. "The rock is mine now," he said, and ran off.

Nakamori frowned. _Strange…the voice…it's different from the rest…WAIT, no time for that now!_ "Get him!"

But by the time they ran out, Kid was gone. They did not know that he was just hiding around a corner, chuckling.

"Kaitou Kid!" He froze, his eyes widened.

**ANOTHER Note:** Check my Author Status in the bio for a short announcement regarding the fics…


	5. Part 5

**Author's Note**: ACK! GOMEN NASAI! The reason I didn't update was because I was having major writer's block, AND time block. Err, that means I didn't have much time to type. So this part is short…I promise to update more often! Oh, yes, and here are the questions answered :)

**How much time has passed since the accident at the start of ch4? (at the park and at Kaito's house)**

At the beginning of Ch4, it was some time in the afternoon, same goes to the time in Kaito's house when Mrs. Kuroba told Aoko the secret.

**What time was it when Aoko finally went home?**

Around 2 p.m., I suppose.

**What time was it when her dad went to guard the jewel (at the end of ch4)?**

In the evening, I have to say around 8.

**What time WAS Kaito's heist anyway (ch1)?**

Midnight XD

**Kaito was hit by the truck from his right side, correct?(assuming since his right leg was broken and right arm was fractured) So if that's true then wouldn't Kaito also have bad injuries on his left side too? Or maybe on his back? (when his body fell on the road, how did it land?)**

Ahh, bad scratches, that's all. He didn't land on his back, just on his left side. And it wasn't that hard. He was on the motorcycle, and it wasn't a long way to the ground, but when his body skidded, that's where the bad scratches came from.

**What did Kaito need the operation for? His leg? (I'm not familar with how they set bones) Or something else?**

Broken leg, fractured arm, head…Yes, his head was knocked THAT hard even with the helmet. Oh, I suppose he landed on it first…

**Why did Kaito ask Ayumi to keep the ring? (as apposed to having her throw it away or something, since that what he usually does with stolen goods anyways...)**

Because Ayumi saw it, and she would have figured it out anyway. Besides, Kaito saved her, so let's say, err, it's something to remind her the importance of traffic rules XD

**Kiddo – Kid-do – Kid!**

Err, yes. I've been discussing this with a few people at camp (there was a couple of Japanese there, woohoo!), and the truth is revealed. From now on, I'll use 'Kid' for my sake XP

**PART 5**

Kid turned around slowly.

It was Aoko.

She walked up to Kid, trembling slightly. The first sentence that came out of her mouth was, "Who are you really?"

Kid kept silent.

"You can tell me," Aoko said, her eyes looking at him pleadingly. "I know you aren't Kaito. He's still in the hospital. Come on."

Kid started. He most probably didn't expect to know that Aoko knew who Kid really was. He hung his head, and reached up, pulling the mask off. Aoko gasped.

"Chii?"

Chii nodded nervously. "Yes, it's me, Aoko-chan," he croaked. "I'm sorry."

"You---you knew Kaito was Kid, right?" she demanded.

Chii nodded again. "Yes. I've been helping little master on heists too. B-but how did you know he was Kaitou Kid?"

Aoko shook her head. "Don't ask. I just want to know why you're doing this."

"I-I just want to help him. In case anyone suspects little master as Kid, I took his job for the mean time. Other than that, I'm looking for the ring he had stolen last night too…it wasn't on him."

Chii watched anxiously as Aoko took a couple of steps backward, trying to take everything in. He started a little when she looked up at him again.

"So…you should know, right?" He blinked in confusion. Aoko stomped up to him. "You know what I mean," she said firmly. "You should know why Kaito decided to be Kid. Tell me, please."

Chii looked away, sympathy on his face. "I-I can't."

Aoko stamped her foot in frustration. "Why?!" she demanded.

"It is not little master's wish for you to know this information, and I respect him. I'm sorry, Aoko."

Just then, they heard shouts to search their direction. Chii started to panic. He tried to get past Aoko, but she stood in her roots. "I'm sorry too, Chii, because I can't let you go. You either tell me, or surrender to the police. Your choice."

"Please, Aoko---" Chii was freaking out as the voices and footsteps were heading towards them. Finally, he didn't have any other choice. He pulled his cloak around Aoko before she could object, and they disappeared together.

When the police arrived, they saw no one. Kid was gone.

---

"Why do I have to come with you to the hospital?" Ai asked in boredom as she was pulled by Ayumi across the lobby.

It was the next afternoon, and Ayumi had pleaded Ai to go to the hospital with her after school. They were both still carrying their bags. The boys had gone to play soccer too, lucky for the girls. It had to be important if Ayumi didn't want the boys to know where they were going.

When they reached the right floor, Ayumi was the first one out of the elevator. She rushed to the ward and stood on the chair to peer in through the window. She sighed.

Ai walked up to her. She didn't need to look inside to know what was going on. "He doesn't heal that quickly. It takes time," she said, sitting down on the chair next to Ayumi. "You want to ask him about the ring, didn't you?"

Ayumi nodded sadly, jumping off and sitting down. Ai shook her head. "Why do kids always believe the impossible?"

"Ai-chan, you're a kid too, aren't you?" Ayumi asked in confusion.

"Never mind."

Just then, the elevator doors opened at the end of the hallway. An old man trudged out of it, looking glum. He walked past the girls, not noticing they were there. He put his hands on the glass, peeking into the dark ward at Kaito.

"I'm sorry, little master," he whispered. "Maybe I shouldn't have attempted it. I should have minded my own business. But I couldn't help it…please forgive me, little master…"

Upon hearing these, Ai knew instantly what he meant. She hopped off the chair and tugged the man's shirt. He looked down in surprise.

"Oji-san, you know that the boy is Kaitou Kid, don't you?" she said.

The man was shocked. He quickly pushed Ai to on side, Ayumi quickly following behind. "H-how did you know this, little miss?" he asked in panic.

"We'll tell you after you answer my question," Ai said calmly, walking to Ayumi. The man was dumbfounded, looking from Ayumi to Ai. "Who are you, and how do you know the boy is Kid?" Ai asked.

The man hung his head in defeat. "All right. My name is Chii. I'm Kaitou Kid's personal assistant."

"I thought so," Ai said. "You were the one who stole the jewel last night, wasn't it?"

Chii nodded. "Now, will you tell me how you know that, little miss? And does anyone besides you know?"

"First of all, no, only the two of us know," Ai replied. "And we knew because of the ring."

"Ring?"

Ayumi fished out the ring from her pocket and showed it to Chii. "Niichan gave it to me at the accident," she said. "It's the ring Kid stole that night."

Chii stared at it. "It---it is…" He looked up at the girls anxiously. "W-what do you want?"

"We don't want anything, just the truth," Ai answered.

He sighed. "All right, it's true. Little master---Kaito---the boy is Kaitou Kid. But he did not do it for pleasure, trust me. He---he has his own reason."

"I don't think I've questioned this part, but fine," Ai said, walking past Chii and sitting back down on the chair. "That's all we want to know anyway." She looked at Ayumi. "Well, you heard him. So let's just forget about it, okay? Let's go."

Ai had turned and started to leave, but Ayumi hesitated, staring at Chii with a sort of look in her eyes. "Ayumi," Ai called, realizing that she wasn't following.

Ayumi quickly turned. "I'm coming. Err---bye," she said softly to Chii, and then rushed after Ai.

Chii shook his head sadly, placing his hands on the glass. "I'm so sorry, little master…I'm sorry…"

---

"Shuffle it…put this here…flip it…ahh, no---"

"Aoko?"

Aoko jumped so much that the poker cards fell and scattered over the floor. She turned around, her heart pounding. "O-Otou-san! You're home!" she gasped.

It was evening, and Nakamori-keibu had come home unexpectedly. He nodded as he took off his coat, staring at the poker cards. "What are you doing with those?"

"What? Oh, you mean those!" Aoko laughed nervously. "I was just---er---polishing them!"

He bent down and picked up a card, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You don't _polish_ cards, Aoko. These look like the trick cards that Kaito gave you last Christmas and you threw aside. What's up? Are you trying to learn magic?"

Aoko tried hard not to blush. "No! Who wants to learn that stupid stuff?" she retorted. "Magic is for dummies." She folded her arms.

"Then, what were you doing with them? Besides polishing and learning magic," Nakamori asked firmly.

Aoko bit her lip, trying to find an excuse in her mind. "I---was---I miss Kaito," she blurted.

Aoko looked desperate. Nakamori-keibu's expression softened as he reached out and hugged her. "It's okay. I miss him too. But what surprises me is that you use magic to comfort yourself. Aoko, there are lots of other ways to comfort yourself. I'm not saying it's wrong, it's just that---you, trying to do magic---don't you think you're overreacting a little? Please, Aoko, if you have any trouble, just tell me. I'll always be here to help you, okay?"

He had a kind of smile that Aoko had not seen for a long time, and she couldn't help turning slightly red, inwardly delighted that she had the chance to see it again. Nakamori-keibu had always been so busy and pressured because of Kid heists, and clearly Aoko missed the smile. She smiled back.

"Thanks, Otou-san. I really appreciate it. I won't try to do magic again, I promise." She hugged him.

Nakamori-keibu sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. Now, do you want me to cook something, or we go out for dinner?"


End file.
